It’s been a hard day and one I want to forget and it gets even worse when I pull up on my driveway as the dusk chases the sunshine away and Sandra Wickham calls out, “May I have a word, Jasmine?”
Gritting my teeth, I plaster a smile on my face and say brightly, “Sandra, how are you today?”
She looks at me with a brief nod and cuts to the chase, sweeping aside any pleasantries as if she has no time for them. “I just wanted to mention the state of your front garden. I’m sorry, but those weeds need dealing with. They affect our grass because the wind blows their seeds on to our newly seeded lawn and I’m not prepared to let weeks of care and concentration be destroyed by your neglect.”
Her stare warns me against any arguments because she’s right. Liam and I aren’t gardeners and don’t bother trying to be. Compared to her immaculate Stepford garden, ours is a wilderness. I suppose she has every right to complain, so I smile sweetly and nod. “Of course, I’ll see to it in the morning.”
“Mm, make sure you do because high winds are predicted over the next few days and the damage may have been done already.”
I turn to leave and she shouts, “Oh, and another thing.”
My heart sinks. “I wanted to arrange a gathering to welcome our new neighbours. Shall we say 7 o'clock on Friday evening? Just an intimate gathering of the four of us being the first ones here and in our role of committee members, we should be the ones to host the event.”
In my mind I count to ten because even the sound of her voice irritates me. It’s like a thousand darts piercing my skin in rapid succession, and it takes all my self-control to remain pleasant. “I thought Nancy’s party did that, they’ve already met us all.”
“Oh, that.”
She waves her hand dismissively and sneers, “That was just for starters. No, I’m talking of the main event. Really getting to know them and laying down a few ground rules. I mean, it’s imperative we find out the sort of people they are. For starters, they have two unruly little boys and a feral animal. They need reminding that we live in a respectable neighbourhood and have standards that must be met. I expect no less than they sign up to be active members of the neighbourhood watch committee because numbers are scarce and it shouldn’t be up to the minority to protect the masses, don’t you agree, Jasmine?”
I shrink under her sharp gaze because I have resisted every one of her attempts to draw me into her tedious committee and so I just shrug. “If they have the time, sure, why not? Mind you, I’m sure their time would be better spent keeping their family and pet under control because god forbid, we would actually enjoy some life in this place. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve had an extremely trying day and need a large gin to make me forget about it.”
Sandra Wickham narrows her eyes and the look she shoots me could extract a person’s soul. Her lips are thin and disapproving as she says tightly, “Hmm, I can see that you need something to settle your mood, that’s for sure. Now, remember the garden and shall we say Friday 7pm? If you don’t mind, please can you bring a tray of canapes as your contribution, along with a bottle of red. Oh, and Jasmine...”
“Yes.” I resist the urge to roll my eyes as she says firmly, “The weeds—remember?”
“Of course, consider it done.”
Turning my back on her, I put the key in the lock and relish the sound of it shutting the world outside. Silence, pure delicious silence, and I feel as if I can finally breathe again. I never thought this day would end and finding Sandra Wickham waiting for me, was the icing on the cake. Vile woman! I wish I could have vetted the neighbours before we moved in. I’m not sure anyone would want to buy a house next to the Wickhams. Maybe that’s why they lived in an enormous mansion with no neighbours for many years. I’ve lost count of the times she’s told me how they made the tough decision to downsize from their gated property in Surrey to a more manageable home. They have a lot to learn about getting along with people because from where I’m standing, they are failing miserably.
Liam is waiting in the kitchen, sitting in his usual place watching the television, drink in hand, and I smile as I catch his eye. “Thank god, a normal person, I missed you.”
“Bad day?”
“You could say that.”
He pats the seat beside him and winks. “Come over here and let me make it all better.”
Kicking off my shoes, I need no further invitation and curl up beside him on the settee and love the way his arm automatically wraps around me and pulls me close. I note the large whisky he has poured himself and frown.
“What’s up?”
Liam likes his drinks neat and appears to have half a large glass of his favoured tipple and he sighs heavily. “I spoke to my mum today.”
Immediately, I tense up and am fearful to ask but say nervously, “And…?”
“Still not good.”
“Oh.”
I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and wish like crazy things were different.
He strokes my shoulder absentmindedly and I hate the break in his voice as he sighs, “I don’t know what to do about it.”
“I know.”
Thinking about Liam’s mum, Virginia Davis, my heart breaks all over again. I’ve always loved her and looked on her as a friend more than anything—a best friend who I adored spending time with. Not anymore. Not since Liam and I shattered our perfect lives and those of everyone around us.
I watch as he sets the glass down and pulls me around to face him. My breath hitches as I see the pain in his expression and the shadows that will probably never go away.
He strokes the side of my face and whispers, “It changes nothing.”
“Are you sure about that?”
My voice sounds weak and fearful, mirroring what I feel inside, and he smiles reassuringly. “We’ve come too far already. Time will heal us; we just have to be patient.”
“Are you sure we have that - time, I mean.”
“We can only hope, not expect. If things never change, we have to live with that. We knew it would be like this , but we went there, anyway. No regrets, Jasmine, you know we have to stay strong.”
He kisses me softly and my heart settles. He’s right. We must stay strong and see this through. There must be no backing down and no regretting our decision. It was made for a very good reason—love and what is better than that.